Shear attachment for flat-knitting machines



Sept. 23 1 924,

. H. P. RUF

SHEAR ATTACHMENT FOR FLAT KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct 30, 192::

NEY

Patented Sept. 23, 1924.

UNITED STATES HERMAN P. RUF, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SHEAR ATTACHMENT FOR FLAT-KNITTING MACHINES.

Application filed October 30, 1923. Serial No. 671,663.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN P. Run, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York city, borough of Manhattan, in the county of NewYork and State of New, York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Shear Attachments for Flat- Knitting Machines, of whichthe following is a specification:

This invention relates to knitting ma-' chines and has particularreference to flat knitting machines, especially in connection with theknitting of fringes.

In the usual practice in the knitting of fringes a fringe unit or whateventually becomes two pieces or strips of fringe is produced, and thenas a subsequent operation the unit is split, forming two pieces offringe. In following this old practice it is the custom to so knit orconstruct a fringe unit as to embody two spaced strips or selvagesacross the space between which are extended transversely a series offringe threads, and during the knitting of the unit in this manner twowarp threads are introduced in close parallel relation to each otherwhich serve as a marker for the subsequent splitting or cutting of thefringe, the cutting being effected between the warp threads. Twoimmediate disadvantages accompany this practice,-first, the warp threadsafter the cutting operation is done are wasted and consequently entail aconsiderable loss in material, and secondly, the cutting being performedby an operation subsequent to the knitting operation is troublesome andexpensive.

Among the objects of this improvement, therefore, is to effect thecutting of the unit into two independent strips of fringe coincidentwith the knitting or formation of the unit, thus avoiding the necessityof using and wasting the warp threads above mentioned and also avoidingthe necessity for a subsequent cutting operation.

More specifically, my invention has in view the provision of anattachment to be used on a standard knitting machine and adapted tooperate for the purpose just indicated during the normal and standardoperation of the machine. 1

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists inthe arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described andclaimed, and while the invention is not e t i te to the exact detail oconstruction disclosed or suggested herein, still for the purpose ofillustrating a practical embodiment thereof reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate thesame parts in the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a verticalsection on the line 11 of Fig. 2 showing the general arrangement orrelation of the shear attachment to the frame and other parts of thestandard machine.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation partly in section indicating the path of thefringe unit While being knitted and severed.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective of one of the shear devices.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings I indicate several ofthe parts of a standard flat knitting machine, for the purpose ofindicating the nature and operation of my improvement. These parts ofthe machine include a frame having a horizontal flange 11, one framemember and flange being located at each end of the machine, and eachflange carrying a guide member 12 along which one end of the needle bar13 is guided for reciprocations in a horizontal plane, preferably by useof anti-friction rollers 14. Journaled at the rear of the guides 12 is arotary shaft 15 having any suitable crank or cam mechanism 16 for ac--tuating one or more connecting rods 17, through which the needle bar isreciprocated, said connecting rods being pivotally attached at 18 to theneedle bar.

19 indicates a guide bar, which together with the needle bar representsdiagrammatically the knitting mechanism. The strip of knitted work suchas a unit 20 of fringe is adapted to operate in a forward and downwarddirection where it is rolled upon a roller 21. As intimated above theunit 20 comprises two knitted strips or selvages 20*spaccd laterallyfrom each other and between which are extended a series of fringethreads 20". This unit, or as many of them as may be knitted at one timeaccording to the capacity of the machine or the character of the fringe,will be guided toward and rolled around the roller 21 at or near thebase of the machine.

Tn'the space below the needle bar or'between the needle bar and theroller 21, which space is ordinarily unoccupied, I provide my improvedshear attachment. For this purpose I employ a bracket 22 at each end ofthe machine, the same being clamped ordinarily to the flanges 11 of theframe. Each bracket extends downward from. the flange and is providedwith two bearings or bosses 23 and 24 in which respectively isjournalecl a rock shaft 25 and adjustably fixed a supporting shaft 26.To either end of the rock shaft 25 is fixed an arml 27 having pin andslot connection at 28 with the connecting rod 17 on the adjacent end ofthe machine whereby during the reciprocations of the connecting rods therock shaft will be given a corresponding oscillation around a horizontalaxis. p

The supporting rod or shaft 26 is shown preferably rectangular in crosssection for easy application thereto and dependable holding of one ormore shear units 29, one of these units being employed for each fringeunit 20; The nature ofthe bar 26 is such that the units 29 maybeadjusted lengthwise thereof at any desired points, one for each unit offringe, and each shear unit. may be adjusted :at any desired point withrespect to the two selvage portions 20 of each fringe unit so thatdesired one portion of the [unit may be cut with longer fringe than theother. Each shear unit .29 comprises a fixed blade 29 rigidly secured toa clamping arm 29 embracing the bar 26 and clamped thereto by means of aset screw 29,

and also a movable blade 29 pivoted at 29 and having the usual shearaction in connection with the fixed blade. For each shear unit I providean actuator 30 clamped as by means of a binding screw 31 upon the rockshaft 25 and in the same vertical transverse plane as the-shear unit towhich it relates. The upwardly projecting arm of the actuator isprovided with a series of holes 30' through any selected one of which alink 82 is passed while the other end of the link is passed through themovable blade. These ends are suitably fastened by cotter pins 33. Itfollows that with the oscillation of the arms 27 and rock shaft 25 theactuator 30 will be oscillated synchronously with the reciprocations ofthe needle bar, and likewise the movable blade of the shear attachmentwill be oscillated at the same time. The strip or unit of fringe isguided in a direction of the cutting edge of the fixed blade 29" and sothe fringe threads 20" will be out while passing between the guide bar19 and the roller 21. The precise position of the shear attachment maybe adjusted by rotation of the supporting bar 26 in its bosses 24 andafter being properly adjusted the same will be fixed by means of setscrews 2%. It will thus be seen that after the knitting operation isperformed as heretofore, but without the warp threads incorporatedtherein, it will pass toward the roller 21 but will be cut in itsmovement so that the two separate pieces of fringe will be formedcoincident with the usual operation of the knitting machine and withoutloss of time or material.

I claim:

1. The combination with a flat knitting machine comprising areciprocating needle bar and means to reciprocate the needle barincluding a rotating shaft, of a shear attachment located beyond theknitting mechanism, and actuating means for the shear attachmentoperated from and synchronously with the operation of the means forreciprocating the needle bar.

2. The combination with a flat knitting machine comprising a frame, aneedle bar reciprocating along said frame, a. fixed guide bar adjacentto the needle bar, and means including av rotating shaft forreciprocating the needle bar, of a shear attachmentlocated to act uponthe knitted unit as it is guided from the guide bar for separating theknitted unit after it leaves the guide bar, and actuating means for theshear attachment operated from the means for reciprocating the needlebar.

3. Mechanism as set forth in claim. 2 in which the shearattachniientcomprises a fixed blade and a blade movably pivoted thereto.

4. Mechanism as set forth in claim 2 in which the shear attachmentcomprises a rock shaft, a fixed uide bar a-rallel thereto, a fixed shearblade connecte to the bar aforesaid, a pivoted blade. an actuatorad'ustably connected to the rock shaft, and a link extending between theactuator and the pivoted blade.

In testimony whereof I aliix my si ature.

HERMAN P. or.

